Nokia X

The Nokia X is a part of Nokia's first (and maybe only) attempt at Android devices. The X is the device that was leaked over and over again. It runs a heavily modified version of Android, and uses Microsoft and Nokia services instead of Google.

Nokia’s on a mission to let developers know how easy it is to publish apps to the Nokia Apps Store with a very eye-opening contest. The first entry shows a developer publishing an app while paragliding.

It would be natural for anyone to believe the Nokia X family is Nokia’s first and last line of Android products, what with them being fully and officially owned by Microsoft, and all. But there’s a possibility that they could be continuing their modest trek into Android territory.

The Nokia X might not have been the Android phone we hoped for, but it sure seems like the Android phone many people want. Nokia is reporting heavy interest in the handset in China, pointing to pre-order sales figures of over 1 million devices in that country.

The Nokia X won’t be coming the the United States, but it will be headed to several other locations around the world. One such country is India, where it has been announced that the X will touch down on March 15th.

More of Nokia’s applications have been ported over to devices with Android 4.1.2 or higher. Many of them don’t require anything but a simple APK installation, though you will need to root for at least one of these. Full list is inside!

The Nokia X was announced last week with a full set of Nokia and Microsoft services, completely lacking Google’s widely recognized applications that make Android into the behemoth of an operating system that it is today. The usefulness of the Nokia X was questioned and now Android hackers have done what they do best, customizing devices, increasing their usefulness.

#MWC2014 has come and gone, leaving behind it a trail of highly anticipated mobile releases. With big announcements from Samsung, LG, Sony, and more, we’re running down our favorites. If you missed any of our coverage throughout the week, these are the smartphones (and smartwatches) you need to know about.